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Bai J, Liu F, Yang F, Zhao Y, Jia X, Thongpoon S, Roobsoog W, Sattabongkot J, Zheng L, Cui Z, Zheng W, Cui L, Cao Y. Evaluation of transmission-blocking potential of Pv22 using clinical Plasmodium vivax infections and transgenic Plasmodium berghei. Vaccine 2023; 41:555-563. [PMID: 36503858 PMCID: PMC9812905 DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2022.11.058] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2022] [Revised: 11/09/2022] [Accepted: 11/23/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Antigens expressed during the sexual development of malaria parasites are transmission-blocking vaccine (TBV) targets. Pb22, a protein expressed and localized to the plasma membrane of gametes and ookinetes in Plasmodium berghei, is an excellent TBV candidate. Here, we evaluated the TB potential of the Plasmodium vivax ortholog Pv22 using a transgenic P. berghei parasite line and P. vivax clinical isolates. The full-length recombinant Pv22 (rPv22) protein was produced and used to immunize mice and rabbits to obtain antibodies. We generated a transgenic P. berghei line (TrPv22Pb) by inserting the pv22 gene into the pb22 locus and showed that Pv22 expression completely rescued the defects in male gametogenesis of the pb22 deletion parasite. Since Pv22 in the transgenic parasite showed similar expression and localization patterns to Pb22, we used the TrPv22Pb parasite as a surrogate to evaluate the TB potential of Pv22. In mosquito feeding assays, mosquitoes feeding on rPv22-immunized mice infected with TrPv22Pb parasites showed a 49.3-53.3 % reduction in the oocyst density compared to the control group. In vitro assays showed that the rPv22 immune sera significantly inhibited exflagellation and ookinete formation of the TrPv22Pb parasites. In a direct membrane feeding assay using three clinical P. vivax isolates, the rabbit anti-rPv22 antibodies also significantly decreased the oocyst density by 53.7, 30.2, and 26.2 %, respectively. This study demonstrated the feasibility of using transgenic P. berghei parasites expressing P. vivax antigens as a potential tool to evaluate TBV candidates. However, the much weaker TB activity of Pv22 obtained from two complementary assays suggest that Pv22 may not be a promising TBV candidate for P. vivax.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jie Bai
- Department of Immunology, College of Basic Medical Sciences, China Medical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Fei Liu
- Department of Immunology, College of Basic Medical Sciences, China Medical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Fan Yang
- Department of Immunology, College of Basic Medical Sciences, China Medical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Yan Zhao
- Department of Immunology, College of Basic Medical Sciences, China Medical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Xitong Jia
- Department of Pathogen Biology, College of Basic Medical Sciences, China Medical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Sataporn Thongpoon
- Mahidol Vivax Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Thailand
| | - Wanlapa Roobsoog
- Mahidol Vivax Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Thailand
| | - Jetsumon Sattabongkot
- Mahidol Vivax Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Thailand
| | - Li Zheng
- Department of Immunology, College of Basic Medical Sciences, China Medical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Zeshi Cui
- College of Pharmacy, China Medical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Wenqi Zheng
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Affiliated Hospital of Inner Mongolian Medical University, Hohhot, China
| | - Liwang Cui
- Department of Internal Medicine, Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, United States.
| | - Yaming Cao
- Department of Immunology, College of Basic Medical Sciences, China Medical University, Shenyang, China.
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Chandley P, Ranjan R, Kumar S, Rohatgi S. Host-parasite interactions during Plasmodium infection: Implications for immunotherapies. Front Immunol 2023; 13:1091961. [PMID: 36685595 PMCID: PMC9845897 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.1091961] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2022] [Accepted: 12/12/2022] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Malaria is a global infectious disease that remains a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in the developing world. Multiple environmental and host and parasite factors govern the clinical outcomes of malaria. The host immune response against the Plasmodium parasite is heterogenous and stage-specific both in the human host and mosquito vector. The Plasmodium parasite virulence is predominantly associated with its ability to evade the host's immune response. Despite the availability of drug-based therapies, Plasmodium parasites can acquire drug resistance due to high antigenic variations and allelic polymorphisms. The lack of licensed vaccines against Plasmodium infection necessitates the development of effective, safe and successful therapeutics. To design an effective vaccine, it is important to study the immune evasion strategies and stage-specific Plasmodium proteins, which are targets of the host immune response. This review provides an overview of the host immune defense mechanisms and parasite immune evasion strategies during Plasmodium infection. Furthermore, we also summarize and discuss the current progress in various anti-malarial vaccine approaches, along with antibody-based therapy involving monoclonal antibodies, and research advancements in host-directed therapy, which can together open new avenues for developing novel immunotherapies against malaria infection and transmission.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pankaj Chandley
- Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology, Roorkee, India
| | - Ravikant Ranjan
- Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology, Roorkee, India
| | - Sudhir Kumar
- Center for Global Infectious Disease Research, Seattle Children’s Research Institute, Seattle, WA, United States
| | - Soma Rohatgi
- Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology, Roorkee, India,*Correspondence: Soma Rohatgi,
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Richie TL, Church LWP, Murshedkar T, Billingsley PF, James ER, Chen MC, Abebe Y, KC N, Chakravarty S, Dolberg D, Healy SA, Diawara H, Sissoko MS, Sagara I, Cook DM, Epstein JE, Mordmüller B, Kapulu M, Kreidenweiss A, Franke-Fayard B, Agnandji ST, López Mikue MSA, McCall MBB, Steinhardt L, Oneko M, Olotu A, Vaughan AM, Kublin JG, Murphy SC, Jongo S, Tanner M, Sirima SB, Laurens MB, Daubenberger C, Silva JC, Lyke KE, Janse CJ, Roestenberg M, Sauerwein RW, Abdulla S, Dicko A, Kappe SHI, Lee Sim BK, Duffy PE, Kremsner PG, Hoffman SL. Sporozoite immunization: innovative translational science to support the fight against malaria. Expert Rev Vaccines 2023; 22:964-1007. [PMID: 37571809 PMCID: PMC10949369 DOI: 10.1080/14760584.2023.2245890] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2022] [Accepted: 08/04/2023] [Indexed: 08/13/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Malaria, a devastating febrile illness caused by protozoan parasites, sickened 247,000,000 people in 2021 and killed 619,000, mostly children and pregnant women in sub-Saharan Africa. A highly effective vaccine is urgently needed, especially for Plasmodium falciparum (Pf), the deadliest human malaria parasite. AREAS COVERED Sporozoites (SPZ), the parasite stage transmitted by Anopheles mosquitoes to humans, are the only vaccine immunogen achieving >90% efficacy against Pf infection. This review describes >30 clinical trials of PfSPZ vaccines in the U.S.A., Europe, Africa, and Asia, based on first-hand knowledge of the trials and PubMed searches of 'sporozoites,' 'malaria,' and 'vaccines.' EXPERT OPINION First generation (radiation-attenuated) PfSPZ vaccines are safe, well tolerated, 80-100% efficacious against homologous controlled human malaria infection (CHMI) and provide 18-19 months protection without boosting in Africa. Second generation chemo-attenuated PfSPZ are more potent, 100% efficacious against stringent heterologous (variant strain) CHMI, but require a co-administered drug, raising safety concerns. Third generation, late liver stage-arresting, replication competent (LARC), genetically-attenuated PfSPZ are expected to be both safe and highly efficacious. Overall, PfSPZ vaccines meet safety, tolerability, and efficacy requirements for protecting pregnant women and travelers exposed to Pf in Africa, with licensure for these populations possible within 5 years. Protecting children and mass vaccination programs to block transmission and eliminate malaria are long-term objectives.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Sara A. Healy
- Laboratory of Malaria Immunology and Vaccinology, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Halimatou Diawara
- Malaria Research and Training Center, Mali-NIAID ICER, University of Science, Techniques and Technologies of Bamako, Bamako, Mali
| | - Mahamadou S. Sissoko
- Malaria Research and Training Center, Mali-NIAID ICER, University of Science, Techniques and Technologies of Bamako, Bamako, Mali
| | - Issaka Sagara
- Malaria Research and Training Center, Mali-NIAID ICER, University of Science, Techniques and Technologies of Bamako, Bamako, Mali
| | - David M. Cook
- Laboratory of Malaria Immunology and Vaccinology, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Judith E. Epstein
- Laboratory of Malaria Immunology and Vaccinology, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Benjamin Mordmüller
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
- Institut für Tropenmedizin, Universitätsklinikum Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Melissa Kapulu
- Biosciences Department, Kenya Medical Research Institute KEMRI-Wellcome Research Programme, Kilifi, Kenya
- Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Andrea Kreidenweiss
- Institut für Tropenmedizin, Universitätsklinikum Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
- German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), partner site Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | | | - Selidji T. Agnandji
- Department of Parasitology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
- Centre de Recherches Médicales de Lambaréné, Lambaréné, Gabon
| | | | - Matthew B. B. McCall
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
- Institut für Tropenmedizin, Universitätsklinikum Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
- Centre de Recherches Médicales de Lambaréné, Lambaréné, Gabon
| | - Laura Steinhardt
- Malaria Branch, Division of Parasitic Diseases and Malaria, Center for Global Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Martina Oneko
- Kenya Medical Research Institute, Centre for Global Health Research, Kisumu, Kenya
| | - Ally Olotu
- Bagamoyo Research and Training Center, Ifakara Health Institute, Bagamoyo, Tanzania
| | - Ashley M. Vaughan
- Center for Global Infectious Disease Research, Seattle Children’s Research Institute, Seattle, WA, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - James G. Kublin
- Department of Global Health, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
- Vaccine and Infectious Disease Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Sean C. Murphy
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
- Center for Emerging and Re-emerging Infectious Diseases and Department of Microbiology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Said Jongo
- Bagamoyo Research and Training Center, Ifakara Health Institute, Bagamoyo, Tanzania
| | - Marcel Tanner
- Medical Parasitology and Infection Biology, Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Basel, Switzerland
- University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | | | - Matthew B. Laurens
- Center for Vaccine Development and Global Health, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Claudia Daubenberger
- Medical Parasitology and Infection Biology, Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Basel, Switzerland
- University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Joana C. Silva
- Institute for Genome Sciences, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Kirsten E. Lyke
- Center for Vaccine Development and Global Health, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Chris J. Janse
- Department of Parasitology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Meta Roestenberg
- Department of Parasitology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Robert W. Sauerwein
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Salim Abdulla
- Bagamoyo Research and Training Center, Ifakara Health Institute, Bagamoyo, Tanzania
| | - Alassane Dicko
- Malaria Research and Training Center, Mali-NIAID ICER, University of Science, Techniques and Technologies of Bamako, Bamako, Mali
| | - Stefan H. I. Kappe
- Center for Global Infectious Disease Research, Seattle Children’s Research Institute, Seattle, WA, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | | | - Patrick E. Duffy
- Laboratory of Malaria Immunology and Vaccinology, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Peter G. Kremsner
- Institut für Tropenmedizin, Universitätsklinikum Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
- German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), partner site Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
- Centre de Recherches Médicales de Lambaréné, Lambaréné, Gabon
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Moita D, Maia TG, Duarte M, Andrade CM, Albuquerque IS, Dwivedi A, Silva JC, González-Céron L, Janse CJ, Mendes AM, Prudêncio M. A genetically modified Plasmodium berghei parasite as a surrogate for whole-sporozoite vaccination against P. vivax malaria. NPJ Vaccines 2022; 7:163. [PMID: 36526627 PMCID: PMC9755804 DOI: 10.1038/s41541-022-00585-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2022] [Accepted: 11/25/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Two malaria parasite species, Plasmodium falciparum (Pf) and P. vivax (Pv) are responsible for most of the disease burden caused by malaria. Vaccine development against this disease has focused mainly on Pf. Whole-sporozoite (WSp) vaccination, targeting pre-erythrocytic (PE) parasite stages, is a promising strategy for immunization against malaria and several PfWSp-based vaccine candidates are currently undergoing clinical evaluation. In contrast, no WSp candidates have been developed for Pv, mainly due to constraints in the production of Pv sporozoites in the laboratory. Recently, we developed a novel approach for WSp vaccination against Pf based on the use of transgenic rodent P. berghei (Pb) sporozoites expressing immunogens of this human-infective parasite. We showed that this platform can be used to deliver PE Pf antigens, eliciting both targeted humoral responses and cross-species cellular immune responses against Pf. Here we explored this WSp platform for the delivery of Pv antigens. As the Pv circumsporozoite protein (CSP) is a leading vaccine candidate antigen, we generated a transgenic Pb parasite, PbviVac, that, in addition to its endogenous PbCSP, expresses PvCSP under the control of a strictly PE promoter. Immunofluorescence microscopy analyses confirmed that both the PbCSP and the PvCSP antigens are expressed in PbviVac sporozoites and liver stages and that PbviVac sporozoite infectivity of hepatic cells is similar to that of its wild-type Pb counterpart. Immunization of mice with PbviVac sporozoites elicits the production of anti-PvCSP antibodies that efficiently recognize and bind to Pv sporozoites. Our results warrant further development and evaluation of PbviVac as a surrogate for WSp vaccination against Pv malaria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diana Moita
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular João Lobo Antunes, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Teresa G Maia
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular João Lobo Antunes, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Miguel Duarte
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular João Lobo Antunes, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Carolina M Andrade
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular João Lobo Antunes, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Inês S Albuquerque
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular João Lobo Antunes, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Ankit Dwivedi
- Institute for Genome Sciences, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Joana C Silva
- Institute for Genome Sciences, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Lilia González-Céron
- Centro Regional de Investigación en Salud Pública, Instituto Nacional de Salud Pública, Tapachula, Chiapas, México
| | - Chris J Janse
- Department of Parasitology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, Netherlands
| | - António M Mendes
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular João Lobo Antunes, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Miguel Prudêncio
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular João Lobo Antunes, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal.
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Subcutaneous Immunization with Unaltered Axenic Malaria Parasite Liver Stages Induces Sterile Protection against Infectious Sporozoite Challenge. Vaccines (Basel) 2022; 10:vaccines10111884. [DOI: 10.3390/vaccines10111884] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2022] [Revised: 08/03/2022] [Accepted: 08/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Host cell-free, axenic development of liver stages (LS) of the malaria parasite has been demonstrated. Here we explored axenic liver stages as a novel live whole parasite malaria vaccine platform, which is unaltered and not prone to human-error, compared to the immunization with live-attenuated sporozoites that must be done intravenously. We show that in contrast to live sporozoites, axenic LS are not infectious to the immunized host. Subcutaneous immunizations of mice with Plasmodium yoelii axenic LS, developed from wild-type (WT) sporozoites or WT sporozoites expressing enhanced-GFP, conferred sterile protection against P. yoelii infectious sporozoite challenge. Thus, axenic liver stages of P. falciparum and P. vivax might constitute an attractive alternative to live sporozoite immunization.
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6
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Sterile protection against relapsing malaria with a single-shot vaccine. NPJ Vaccines 2022; 7:126. [PMID: 36302860 DOI: 10.1038/s41541-022-00555-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2022] [Accepted: 10/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Vaccine development for Plasmodium vivax, an important human relapsing malaria, is lagging behind. In the case of the most deadly human malaria P. falciparum, unprecedented high levels of protection have been obtained by immunization with live sporozoites under accompanying chemoprophylaxis, which prevents the onset of blood-stage malaria. Such an approach has not been fully evaluated for relapsing malaria. Here, in the P. cynomolgi-rhesus macaque model for relapsing malaria, we employ the parasites' natural relapsing phenotype to self-boost the immune response against liver-stage parasites, following a single-shot high-dose live sporozoite vaccination. This approach resulted in sterile protection against homologous sporozoite challenge in three out of four animals in the group that was also exposed for several days to blood stages during primary infection and relapses. One out of four animals in the group that received continuous chemoprophylaxis to abort blood-stage exposure was also protected from sporozoite challenge. Although obtained in a small number of animals as part of a Proof-of-Concept study, these results suggest that limited blood-stage parasite exposure may augment protection in this model. We anticipate our data are a starting point for further research into correlates of protection and extrapolation of the single-shot approach to develop efficacious malaria vaccines against relapsing human malaria.
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7
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Nunes-Cabaço H, Moita D, Prudêncio M. Five decades of clinical assessment of whole-sporozoite malaria vaccines. Front Immunol 2022; 13:977472. [PMID: 36159849 PMCID: PMC9493004 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.977472] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2022] [Accepted: 08/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
In 1967, pioneering work by Ruth Nussenzweig demonstrated for the first time that irradiated sporozoites of the rodent malaria parasite Plasmodium berghei protected mice against a challenge with infectious parasites of the same species. This remarkable finding opened up entirely new prospects of effective vaccination against malaria using attenuated sporozoites as immunization agents. The potential for whole-sporozoite-based immunization in humans was established in a clinical study in 1973, when a volunteer exposed to X-irradiated P. falciparum sporozoites was found to be protected against malaria following challenge with a homologous strain of this parasite. Nearly five decades later, much has been achieved in the field of whole-sporozoite malaria vaccination, and multiple reports on the clinical evaluation of such candidates have emerged. However, this process has known different paces before and after the turn of the century. While only a few clinical studies were published in the 1970’s, 1980’s and 1990’s, remarkable progress was made in the 2000’s and beyond. This article reviews the history of the clinical assessment of whole-sporozoite malaria vaccines over the last forty-nine years, highlighting the impressive achievements made over the last few years, and discussing some of the challenges ahead.
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8
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Zolfaghari Emameh R, Barker HR, Turpeinen H, Parkkila S, Hytönen VP. A reverse vaccinology approach on transmembrane carbonic anhydrases from Plasmodium species as vaccine candidates for malaria prevention. Malar J 2022; 21:189. [PMID: 35706028 PMCID: PMC9199335 DOI: 10.1186/s12936-022-04186-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2021] [Accepted: 05/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Malaria is a significant parasitic infection, and human infection is mediated by mosquito (Anopheles) biting and subsequent transmission of protozoa (Plasmodium) to the blood. Carbonic anhydrases (CAs) are known to be highly expressed in the midgut and ectoperitrophic space of Anopheles gambiae. Transmembrane CAs (tmCAs) in Plasmodium may be potential vaccine candidates for the control and prevention of malaria. METHODS In this study, two groups of transmembrane CAs, including α-CAs and one group of η-CAs were analysed by immunoinformatics and computational biology methods, such as predictions on transmembrane localization of CAs from Plasmodium spp., affinity and stability of different HLA classes, antigenicity of tmCA peptides, epitope and proteasomal cleavage of Plasmodium tmCAs, accessibility of Plasmodium tmCAs MHC-ligands, allergenicity of Plasmodium tmCAs, disulfide-bond of Plasmodium tmCAs, B cell epitopes of Plasmodium tmCAs, and Cell type-specific expression of Plasmodium CAs. RESULTS Two groups of α-CAs and one group of η-CAs in Plasmodium spp. were identified to contain tmCA sequences, having high affinity towards MHCs, high stability, and strong antigenicity. All putative tmCAs were predicted to contain sequences for proteasomal cleavage in antigen presenting cells (APCs). CONCLUSIONS The predicted results revealed that tmCAs from Plasmodium spp. can be potential targets for vaccination against malaria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Reza Zolfaghari Emameh
- Department of Energy and Environmental Biotechnology, National Institute of Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (NIGEB), 14965/161, Tehran, Iran.
| | - Harlan R Barker
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, Tampere, Finland
| | | | - Seppo Parkkila
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, Tampere, Finland.,Fimlab Laboratories Ltd and Tampere University Hospital, Tampere, Finland
| | - Vesa P Hytönen
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, Tampere, Finland.,Fimlab Laboratories Ltd and Tampere University Hospital, Tampere, Finland
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9
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Nunes-Cabaço H, Moita D, Rôla C, Mendes AM, Prudêncio M. Impact of Dietary Protein Restriction on the Immunogenicity and Efficacy of Whole-Sporozoite Malaria Vaccination. Front Immunol 2022; 13:869757. [PMID: 35529859 PMCID: PMC9070679 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.869757] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2022] [Accepted: 03/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Malaria remains one of the world’s most prevalent infectious diseases. Several vaccination strategies currently under investigation aim at hampering the development of the Plasmodium parasite during the clinically silent liver stage of its life cycle in the mammalian host, preventing the subsequent disease-associated blood stage of infection. Immunization with radiation-attenuated sporozoites (RAS), the liver-infecting parasite forms, can induce sterile protection against malaria. However, the efficacy of vaccine candidates in malaria-naïve individuals in high-income countries is frequently higher than that found in populations where malaria is endemic. Malnutrition has been associated with immune dysfunction and with a delay or impairment of the immune response to some vaccines. Since vaccine efficacy depends on the generation of competent immune responses, and malaria-endemic regions are often associated with malnutrition, we hypothesized that an inadequate host nutritional status, specifically resulting from a reduction in dietary protein, could impact on the establishment of an efficient anti-malarial immune response. We developed a model of RAS immunization under low protein diet to investigate the impact of a reduced host protein intake on the immunogenicity and protective efficacy of this vaccine. Our analysis of the circulating and tissue-associated immune compartments revealed that a reduction in dietary protein intake during immunization resulted in a decrease in the frequency of circulating CD4+ T cells and of hepatic NK cells. Nevertheless, the profile of CD8+ T cells in the blood, liver and spleen was robust and minimally affected by the dietary protein content during RAS immunization, as assessed by supervised and in-depth unsupervised X-shift clustering analysis. Although mice immunized under low protein diet presented higher parasite liver load upon challenge than those immunized under adequate protein intake, the two groups displayed similar levels of protection from disease. Overall, our data indicate that dietary protein reduction may have minimal impact on the immunogenicity and efficacy of RAS-based malaria vaccination. Importantly, this experimental model can be extended to assess the impact of other nutrient imbalances and immunization strategies, towards the refinement of future translational interventions that improve vaccine efficacy in malnourished individuals.
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10
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Rider PJF, Kamil M, Yilmaz I, Atmaca HN, Kalkan-Yazici M, Ziya Doymaz M, Kousoulas KG, Aly ASI. An Attenuated HSV-1-Derived Malaria Vaccine Expressing Liver-Stage Exported Proteins Induces Sterilizing Protection against Infectious Sporozoite Challenge. Vaccines (Basel) 2022; 10:vaccines10020300. [PMID: 35214758 PMCID: PMC8875294 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines10020300] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2021] [Revised: 02/07/2022] [Accepted: 02/10/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Here, we present the construction of an attenuated herpes simplex virus type-1 (HSV-1)-vectored vaccine, expressing three liver-stage (LS) malaria parasite exported proteins (EXP1, UIS3 and TMP21) as fusion proteins with the VP26 viral capsid protein. Intramuscular and subcutaneous immunizations of mice with a pooled vaccine, composed of the three attenuated virus strains expressing each LS antigen, induced sterile protection against the intravenous challenge of Plasmodium yoelii 17X-NL salivary gland sporozoites. Our data suggest that this malaria vaccine may be effective in preventing malaria parasite infection using practical routes of immunization in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul J. F. Rider
- Division of Biotechnology and Molecular Medicine, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA 70803, USA; (P.J.F.R.); (K.G.K.)
- Department of Pathobiological Sciences, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA 70803, USA
| | - Mohd Kamil
- Aly Lab, Beykoz Institute of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Bezmialem Vakif University, Istanbul 34820, Turkey; (M.K.); (I.Y.); (H.N.A.)
| | - Ilknur Yilmaz
- Aly Lab, Beykoz Institute of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Bezmialem Vakif University, Istanbul 34820, Turkey; (M.K.); (I.Y.); (H.N.A.)
| | - Habibe N. Atmaca
- Aly Lab, Beykoz Institute of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Bezmialem Vakif University, Istanbul 34820, Turkey; (M.K.); (I.Y.); (H.N.A.)
| | - Merve Kalkan-Yazici
- Microbiology Lab, Beykoz Institute of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Bezmialem Vakif University, Istanbul 34820, Turkey; (M.K.-Y.); (M.Z.D.)
| | - Mehmet Ziya Doymaz
- Microbiology Lab, Beykoz Institute of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Bezmialem Vakif University, Istanbul 34820, Turkey; (M.K.-Y.); (M.Z.D.)
| | - Konstantin G. Kousoulas
- Division of Biotechnology and Molecular Medicine, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA 70803, USA; (P.J.F.R.); (K.G.K.)
- Department of Pathobiological Sciences, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA 70803, USA
| | - Ahmed S. I. Aly
- Aly Lab, Beykoz Institute of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Bezmialem Vakif University, Istanbul 34820, Turkey; (M.K.); (I.Y.); (H.N.A.)
- Correspondence:
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11
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Portugal S, Rodriguez A, Prudêncio M. Maria M. Mota: Bringing Plasmodium Liver Infection to the Centre Stage of Malaria Research. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2022; 12:851484. [PMID: 35211424 PMCID: PMC8860983 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2022.851484] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2022] [Accepted: 01/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
| | - Ana Rodriguez
- Department of Microbiology, New York University School of Medicine, New York City, NY, United States
| | - Miguel Prudêncio
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
- *Correspondence: Miguel Prudêncio,
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12
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Siddiqui AJ, Bhardwaj J, Hamadou WS, Goyal M, Jahan S, Ashraf SA, Jamal A, Sharma P, Sachidanandan M, Badraoui R, Snoussi M, Adnan M. Impact of chemoprophylaxis immunisation under halofantrine (CPS-HF) drug cover in Plasmodium yoelii Swiss mice malaria model. Folia Parasitol (Praha) 2022; 69. [PMID: 35145048 DOI: 10.14411/fp.2022.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2021] [Accepted: 11/28/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
In the present study, we have investigated the role of antimalarial drug halofantrine (HF) in inducing the sterile protection against challenges with sporozoites of the live infectious Plasmodium yoelii (Killick-Kendrick, 1967) in Swiss mice malaria model. We observed that during the first to third sequential sporozoite inoculation cycles, blood-stage patency remains the same in the control and chemoprophylaxis under HF drug cover (CPS-HF) groups. However, a delayed blood-stage infection was observed during the fourth and fifth sporozoite challenges and complete sterile protection was produced following the sixth sporozoite challenge in CPS-HF mice. We also noticed a steady decline in liver stage parasite load after 3th to 6th sporozoite challenge cycle in CPS-HF mice. CPS-HF immunisation results in a significant up-regulation of pro-inflammatory cytokines (IFN-γ, TNF-α, IL-12 and iNOS) and down-regulation of anti-inflammatory cytokines (IL-10 and TGF-β) mRNA expression in hepatic mononuclear cells (HMNC) and spleen cells in the immunised CPS-HF mice (after 6th sporozoite challenge) compared to control. Overall, our study suggests that the repetitive sporozoite inoculation under HF drug treatment develops a strong immune response that confers protection against subsequent challenges with sporozoites of P. yoelii.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arif Jamal Siddiqui
- Department of Biology, College of Science, University of Hail, Hail, Saudi Arabia.,Molecular Parasitology and Immunology Division, CSIR-Central Drug Research Institute, Lucknow, India.,Both authors have contributed equally to this work and share first authorship.,Corresponding author
| | - Jyoti Bhardwaj
- Indiana University, School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana, United States.,Molecular Parasitology and Immunology Division, CSIR-Central Drug Research Institute, Lucknow, India.,Both authors have contributed equally to this work and share first authorship
| | - Walid Sabri Hamadou
- Department of Biology, College of Science, University of Hail, Hail, Saudi Arabia
| | - Manish Goyal
- Molecular Parasitology and Immunology Division, CSIR-Central Drug Research Institute, Lucknow, India
| | - Sadaf Jahan
- Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Majmaah University, Al Majmaah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Syed Amir Ashraf
- Department of Clinical Nutrition, College of Applied Medial Sciences, University of Hail, Hail, Saudi Arabia
| | - Arshad Jamal
- Department of Biology, College of Science, University of Hail, Hail, Saudi Arabia
| | - Pankaj Sharma
- Molecular Parasitology and Immunology Division, CSIR-Central Drug Research Institute, Lucknow, India.,Program in Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, U.S.A
| | | | - Riadh Badraoui
- Department of Biology, College of Science, University of Hail, Hail, Saudi Arabia
| | - Mejdi Snoussi
- Department of Biology, College of Science, University of Hail, Hail, Saudi Arabia
| | - Mohd Adnan
- Department of Biology, College of Science, University of Hail, Hail, Saudi Arabia
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13
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Chemoprophylaxis under sporozoites-lumefantrine (CPS-LMF) immunization induce protective immune responses against Plasmodium yoelii sporozoites infection in mice. 3 Biotech 2021; 11:465. [PMID: 34745816 DOI: 10.1007/s13205-021-03022-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2021] [Accepted: 10/06/2021] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Malaria represents one of the major life-threatening diseases that poses a huge socio-economic impact, worldwide. Chemoprophylaxis vaccination using a relatively low number of wild-type infectious sporozoites represents an attractive and effective vaccine strategy against malaria. However, the role of immune responses to pre-erythrocytic versus blood-stage parasites in protection against different antimalarial drugs remains unclear. Here, in the present study, we explored the immune responses against the repetitive inoculation of live Plasmodium yoelii (P. yoelii) sporozoites in an experimental Swiss mouse model under antimalarial drug lumefantrine chemoprophylaxis (CPS-LMF). We monitored the liver stage parasitic load, pro/anti-inflammatory cytokines expression, and erythrocytic stage patency, following repetitive cycles of sporozoites inoculations. It was found that repetitive sporozoites inoculation under CPS-LMF results in delayed blood-stage infection during the fourth sporozoites challenge, while sterile protection was produced in mice following the fifth cycle of sporozoites challenge. Intriguingly, we observed a significant up-regulation of pro-inflammatory cytokines (IFN-γ, TNF-α and IL-12) and iNOS response and down-regulation of anti-inflammatory cytokines (IL-4, IL-10 and TGF-β) in the liver HMNC (hepatic mononuclear cells) and spleen cells after 4th and 5th cycle of sporozoites challenge in the CPS-LMF mice. Meanwhile, we also noticed that the liver stage parasites load under CPS-LMF immunization has gradually reduced after 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th sporozoites challenge. Overall, our study suggests that chemoprophylaxis vaccination under LMF drug cover develops strong immune responses and confer superior long-lasting protection against P. yoelii sporozoites. Furthermore, this vaccination strategy can be used to study the protective and stage-specific immunity against new protective antigens. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s13205-021-03022-0.
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14
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Gimenez AM, Salman AM, Marques RF, López-Camacho C, Harrison K, Kim YC, Janse CJ, Soares IS, Reyes-Sandoval A. A universal vaccine candidate against Plasmodium vivax malaria confers protective immunity against the three PvCSP alleles. Sci Rep 2021; 11:17928. [PMID: 34504134 PMCID: PMC8429696 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-96986-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2021] [Accepted: 07/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Malaria is a highly prevalent parasitic disease in regions with tropical and subtropical climates worldwide. Among the species of Plasmodium causing human malaria, P. vivax is the second most prevalent and the most geographically widespread species. A major target of a pre-erythrocytic vaccine is the P. vivax circumsporozoite protein (PvCSP). In previous studies, we fused two recombinant proteins representing three allelic variants of PvCSP (VK210, VK247 and P. vivax-like) to the mumps virus nucleocapsid protein to enhance immune responses against PvCSP. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the protective efficacy of these recombinants in mice challenged with transgenic P. berghei parasites expressing PvCSP allelic variants. Formulations containing Poly (I:C) or Montanide ISA720 as adjuvants elicited high and long-lasting IgG antibody titers specific to each PvCSP allelic variant. Immunized mice were challenged with two existing chimeric P. berghei parasite lines expressing PvCSP-VK210 and PvCSP-VK247. We also developed a novel chimeric line expressing the third allelic variant, PvCSP-P. vivax-like, as a new murine immunization-challenge model. Our formulations conferred partial protection (significant delay in the time to reach 1% parasitemia) against challenge with the three chimeric parasites. Our results provide insights into the development of a vaccine targeting multiple strains of P. vivax.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alba Marina Gimenez
- Nuffield Department of Medicine, The Jenner Institute, University of Oxford, The Henry Wellcome Building for Molecular Physiology, Roosevelt Drive, Oxford, OX3 7BN, UK.,Department of Clinical and Toxicological Analyses, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Ahmed M Salman
- Nuffield Department of Medicine, The Jenner Institute, University of Oxford, The Henry Wellcome Building for Molecular Physiology, Roosevelt Drive, Oxford, OX3 7BN, UK
| | - Rodolfo F Marques
- Department of Clinical and Toxicological Analyses, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - César López-Camacho
- Nuffield Department of Medicine, The Jenner Institute, University of Oxford, The Henry Wellcome Building for Molecular Physiology, Roosevelt Drive, Oxford, OX3 7BN, UK
| | - Kate Harrison
- Nuffield Department of Medicine, The Jenner Institute, University of Oxford, The Henry Wellcome Building for Molecular Physiology, Roosevelt Drive, Oxford, OX3 7BN, UK
| | - Young Chan Kim
- Nuffield Department of Medicine, The Jenner Institute, University of Oxford, The Henry Wellcome Building for Molecular Physiology, Roosevelt Drive, Oxford, OX3 7BN, UK
| | - Chris J Janse
- Department of Parasitology, Leiden Malaria Research Group, Center of Infectious Diseases, Leiden University Medical Center, (LUMC, L4-Q), Albinusdreef 2, 2333 ZA, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Irene S Soares
- Department of Clinical and Toxicological Analyses, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
| | - Arturo Reyes-Sandoval
- Nuffield Department of Medicine, The Jenner Institute, University of Oxford, The Henry Wellcome Building for Molecular Physiology, Roosevelt Drive, Oxford, OX3 7BN, UK. .,Instituto Politécnico Nacional, IPN, Av. Luis Enrique Erro S/N. Unidad Adolfo López Mateos, Zacatenco, CP 07738, Mexico City, Mexico.
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15
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Sahu T, Gehrke EJ, Flores-Garcia Y, Mlambo G, Romano JD, Coppens I. Chemoprophylaxis vaccination with a Plasmodium liver stage autophagy mutant affords enhanced and long-lasting protection. NPJ Vaccines 2021; 6:98. [PMID: 34376691 PMCID: PMC8355287 DOI: 10.1038/s41541-021-00360-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2020] [Accepted: 07/06/2021] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Genetically attenuated sporozoite vaccines can elicit long-lasting protection against malaria but pose risks of breakthrough infection. Chemoprophylaxis vaccination (CVac) has proven to be the most effective vaccine strategy against malaria. Here, we demonstrate that a liver stage-specific autophagy mutant of Plasmodium berghei (ATG8 overexpressor), when used as a live vaccine under a CVac regimen, provides superior long-lasting protection, in both inbred and outbred mice, as compared to WT-CVac. Uniquely, the protection elicited by this mutant is predominantly dependent on a CD8+ T-cell response through an IFN-γ-independent mechanism and is associated with a stable population of antigen-experienced CD8+ T cells. Jointly, our findings support the exploitation of liver-stage mutants as vaccines under a CVac protocol. This vaccination strategy is also a powerful model to study the mechanisms of protective immunity and discover new protective antigens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tejram Sahu
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Johns Hopkins Malaria Research Institute, Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA.
| | - Ella J Gehrke
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Johns Hopkins Malaria Research Institute, Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Yevel Flores-Garcia
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Johns Hopkins Malaria Research Institute, Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Godfree Mlambo
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Johns Hopkins Malaria Research Institute, Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Julia D Romano
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Johns Hopkins Malaria Research Institute, Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Isabelle Coppens
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Johns Hopkins Malaria Research Institute, Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA.
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16
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Kukla DA, Khetani SR. Bioengineered Liver Models for Investigating Disease Pathogenesis and Regenerative Medicine. Semin Liver Dis 2021; 41:368-392. [PMID: 34139785 DOI: 10.1055/s-0041-1731016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
Owing to species-specific differences in liver pathways, in vitro human liver models are utilized for elucidating mechanisms underlying disease pathogenesis, drug development, and regenerative medicine. To mitigate limitations with de-differentiated cultures, bioengineers have developed advanced techniques/platforms, including micropatterned cocultures, spheroids/organoids, bioprinting, and microfluidic devices, for perfusing cell cultures and liver slices. Such techniques improve mature functions and culture lifetime of primary and stem-cell human liver cells. Furthermore, bioengineered liver models display several features of liver diseases including infections with pathogens (e.g., malaria, hepatitis C/B viruses, Zika, dengue, yellow fever), alcoholic/nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, and cancer. Here, we discuss features of bioengineered human liver models, their uses for modeling aforementioned diseases, and how such models are being augmented/adapted for fabricating implantable human liver tissues for clinical therapy. Ultimately, continued advances in bioengineered human liver models have the potential to aid the development of novel, safe, and efficacious therapies for liver disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- David A Kukla
- Deparment of Bioengineering, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois
| | - Salman R Khetani
- Deparment of Bioengineering, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois
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17
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Kolli SK, Salman AM, Ramesar J, Chevalley-Maurel S, Kroeze H, Geurten FGA, Miyazaki S, Mukhopadhyay E, Marin-Mogollon C, Franke-Fayard B, Hill AVS, Janse CJ. Screening of viral-vectored P. falciparum pre-erythrocytic candidate vaccine antigens using chimeric rodent parasites. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0254498. [PMID: 34252120 PMCID: PMC8274855 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0254498] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2021] [Accepted: 06/28/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
To screen for additional vaccine candidate antigens of Plasmodium pre-erythrocytic stages, fourteen P. falciparum proteins were selected based on expression in sporozoites or their role in establishment of hepatocyte infection. For preclinical evaluation of immunogenicity of these proteins in mice, chimeric P. berghei sporozoites were created that express the P. falciparum proteins in sporozoites as an additional copy gene under control of the uis4 gene promoter. All fourteen chimeric parasites produced sporozoites but sporozoites of eight lines failed to establish a liver infection, indicating a negative impact of these P. falciparum proteins on sporozoite infectivity. Immunogenicity of the other six proteins (SPELD, ETRAMP10.3, SIAP2, SPATR, HT, RPL3) was analyzed by immunization of inbred BALB/c and outbred CD-1 mice with viral-vectored (ChAd63 or ChAdOx1, MVA) vaccines, followed by challenge with chimeric sporozoites. Protective immunogenicity was determined by analyzing parasite liver load and prepatent period of blood stage infection after challenge. Of the six proteins only SPELD immunized mice showed partial protection. We discuss both the low protective immunogenicity of these proteins in the chimeric rodent malaria challenge model and the negative effect on P. berghei sporozoite infectivity of several P. falciparum proteins expressed in the chimeric sporozoites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Surendra Kumar Kolli
- Department of Parasitology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, Netherlands
| | - Ahmed M. Salman
- Nuffield Department of Medicine, The Jenner Institute, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Jai Ramesar
- Department of Parasitology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, Netherlands
| | | | - Hans Kroeze
- Department of Parasitology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, Netherlands
| | - Fiona G. A. Geurten
- Department of Parasitology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, Netherlands
| | - Shinya Miyazaki
- Department of Parasitology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, Netherlands
| | - Ekta Mukhopadhyay
- Nuffield Department of Medicine, The Jenner Institute, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | | | | | - Adrian V. S. Hill
- Nuffield Department of Medicine, The Jenner Institute, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Chris J. Janse
- Department of Parasitology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, Netherlands
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18
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Reuling IJ, Mendes AM, de Jong GM, Fabra-García A, Nunes-Cabaço H, van Gemert GJ, Graumans W, Coffeng LE, de Vlas SJ, Yang ASP, Lee C, Wu Y, Birkett AJ, Ockenhouse CF, Koelewijn R, van Hellemond JJ, van Genderen PJJ, Sauerwein RW, Prudêncio M. An open-label phase 1/2a trial of a genetically modified rodent malaria parasite for immunization against Plasmodium falciparum malaria. Sci Transl Med 2021; 12:12/544/eaay2578. [PMID: 32434846 DOI: 10.1126/scitranslmed.aay2578] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2019] [Accepted: 04/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
For some diseases, successful vaccines have been developed using a nonpathogenic counterpart of the causative microorganism of choice. The nonpathogenicity of the rodent Plasmodium berghei (Pb) parasite in humans prompted us to evaluate its potential as a platform for vaccination against human infection by Plasmodium falciparum (Pf), a causative agent of malaria. We hypothesized that the genetic insertion of a leading protein target for clinical development of a malaria vaccine, Pf circumsporozoite protein (CSP), in its natural pre-erythrocytic environment, would enhance Pb's capacity to induce protective immunity against Pf infection. Hence, we recently generated a transgenic Pb sporozoite immunization platform expressing PfCSP (PbVac), and we now report the clinical evaluation of its biological activity against controlled human malaria infection (CHMI). This first-in-human trial shows that PbVac is safe and well tolerated, when administered by a total of ~300 PbVac-infected mosquitoes per volunteer. Although protective efficacy evaluated by CHMI showed no sterile protection at the tested dose, significant delays in patency (2.2 days, P = 0.03) and decreased parasite density were observed after immunization, corresponding to an estimated 95% reduction in Pf liver parasite burden (confidence interval, 56 to 99%; P = 0.010). PbVac elicits dose-dependent cross-species cellular immune responses and functional PfCSP-dependent antibody responses that efficiently block Pf sporozoite invasion of liver cells in vitro. This study demonstrates that PbVac immunization elicits a marked biological effect, inhibiting a subsequent infection by the human Pf parasite, and establishes the clinical validation of a new paradigm in malaria vaccination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isaie J Reuling
- Radboud Center for Infectious Diseases, Department of Medical Microbiology, Radboud University Medical Center, 6525 GA Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - António M Mendes
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Avenida Professor Egas Moniz, 1649-028 Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Gerdie M de Jong
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Erasmus MC, 3015 GD Rotterdam, Netherlands
| | - Amanda Fabra-García
- Radboud Center for Infectious Diseases, Department of Medical Microbiology, Radboud University Medical Center, 6525 GA Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Helena Nunes-Cabaço
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Avenida Professor Egas Moniz, 1649-028 Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Geert-Jan van Gemert
- Radboud Center for Infectious Diseases, Department of Medical Microbiology, Radboud University Medical Center, 6525 GA Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Wouter Graumans
- Radboud Center for Infectious Diseases, Department of Medical Microbiology, Radboud University Medical Center, 6525 GA Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Luc E Coffeng
- Department of Public Health, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, 3015 GD Rotterdam, Netherlands
| | - Sake J de Vlas
- Department of Public Health, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, 3015 GD Rotterdam, Netherlands
| | - Annie S P Yang
- Radboud Center for Infectious Diseases, Department of Medical Microbiology, Radboud University Medical Center, 6525 GA Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Cynthia Lee
- PATH's Malaria Vaccine Initiative, Washington, DC 20001, USA
| | - Yimin Wu
- PATH's Malaria Vaccine Initiative, Washington, DC 20001, USA
| | | | | | - Rob Koelewijn
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Erasmus MC, 3015 GD Rotterdam, Netherlands
| | - Jaap J van Hellemond
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Erasmus MC, 3015 GD Rotterdam, Netherlands
| | - Perry J J van Genderen
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Erasmus MC, 3015 GD Rotterdam, Netherlands. .,Corporate Travel Clinic Erasmus MC, 3015 CP Rotterdam, Netherlands
| | - Robert W Sauerwein
- Radboud Center for Infectious Diseases, Department of Medical Microbiology, Radboud University Medical Center, 6525 GA Nijmegen, Netherlands.
| | - Miguel Prudêncio
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Avenida Professor Egas Moniz, 1649-028 Lisboa, Portugal.
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19
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Miyazaki Y, Marin-Mogollon C, Imai T, Mendes AM, van der Laak R, Sturm A, Geurten FJA, Miyazaki S, Chevalley-Maurel S, Ramesar J, Kolli SK, Kroeze H, van Schuijlenburg R, Salman AM, Wilder BK, Reyes-Sandoval A, Dechering KJ, Prudêncio M, Janse CJ, Khan SM, Franke-Fayard B. Generation of a Genetically Modified Chimeric Plasmodium falciparum Parasite Expressing Plasmodium vivax Circumsporozoite Protein for Malaria Vaccine Development. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2020; 10:591046. [PMID: 33392104 PMCID: PMC7773900 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2020.591046] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2020] [Accepted: 11/11/2020] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Chimeric rodent malaria parasites with the endogenous circumsporozoite protein (csp) gene replaced with csp from the human parasites Plasmodium falciparum (Pf) and P. vivax (Pv) are used in preclinical evaluation of CSP vaccines. Chimeric rodent parasites expressing PfCSP have also been assessed as whole sporozoite (WSP) vaccines. Comparable chimeric P. falciparum parasites expressing CSP of P. vivax could be used both for clinical evaluation of vaccines targeting PvCSP in controlled human P. falciparum infections and in WSP vaccines targeting P. vivax and P. falciparum. We generated chimeric P. falciparum parasites expressing both PfCSP and PvCSP. These Pf-PvCSP parasites produced sporozoite comparable to wild type P. falciparum parasites and expressed PfCSP and PvCSP on the sporozoite surface. Pf-PvCSP sporozoites infected human hepatocytes and induced antibodies to the repeats of both PfCSP and PvCSP after immunization of mice. These results support the use of Pf-PvCSP sporozoites in studies optimizing vaccines targeting PvCSP.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yukiko Miyazaki
- Department of Parasitology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, Netherlands
| | | | - Takashi Imai
- Department of Parasitology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, Netherlands.,Department of Infectious Diseases and Host Defense, Gunma University Graduate School of Medicine, Maebashi, Japan
| | - António M Mendes
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular João Lobo Antunes, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
| | | | | | - Fiona J A Geurten
- Department of Parasitology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, Netherlands
| | - Shinya Miyazaki
- Department of Parasitology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, Netherlands
| | | | - Jai Ramesar
- Department of Parasitology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, Netherlands
| | - Surendra K Kolli
- Department of Parasitology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, Netherlands
| | - Hans Kroeze
- Department of Parasitology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, Netherlands
| | | | - Ahmed M Salman
- The Jenner Institute, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Brandon K Wilder
- Vaccine and Gene Therapy Institute, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, Oregon, United States
| | - Arturo Reyes-Sandoval
- The Jenner Institute, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | | | - Miguel Prudêncio
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular João Lobo Antunes, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Chris J Janse
- Department of Parasitology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, Netherlands
| | - Shahid M Khan
- Department of Parasitology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, Netherlands
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20
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Kaslow DC. Malaria vaccine research & innovation: the intersection of IA2030 and zero malaria. NPJ Vaccines 2020; 5:109. [PMID: 33298967 PMCID: PMC7677906 DOI: 10.1038/s41541-020-00259-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2020] [Accepted: 10/30/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- David C Kaslow
- PATH, 2201 Westlake Avenue, Suite 200, Seattle, WA, 98121, USA.
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21
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Mitran CJ, Yanow SK. The Case for Exploiting Cross-Species Epitopes in Malaria Vaccine Design. Front Immunol 2020; 11:335. [PMID: 32174924 PMCID: PMC7056716 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2020.00335] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2019] [Accepted: 02/10/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The infection dynamics between different species of Plasmodium that infect the same human host can both suppress and exacerbate disease. This could arise from inter-parasite interactions, such as competition, from immune regulation, or both. The occurrence of protective, cross-species (heterologous) immunity is an unlikely event, especially considering that strain-transcending immunity within a species is only partial despite lifelong exposure to that species. Here we review the literature in humans and animal models to identify the contexts where heterologous immunity can arise, and which antigens may be involved. From the perspective of vaccine design, understanding the mechanisms by which exposure to an antigen from one species can elicit a protective response to another species offers an alternative strategy to conventional approaches that focus on immunodominant antigens within a single species. The underlying hypothesis is that certain epitopes are conserved across evolution, in sequence or in structure, and shared in antigens from different species. Vaccines that focus on conserved epitopes may overcome the challenges posed by polymorphic immunodominant antigens; but to uncover these epitopes requires approaches that consider the evolutionary history of protein families across species. The key question for vaccinologists will be whether vaccines that express these epitopes can elicit immune responses that are functional and contribute to protection against Plasmodium parasites.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Stephanie K. Yanow
- School of Public Health, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
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22
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Siddiqui AJ, Bhardwaj J, Goyal M, Prakash K, Adnan M, Alreshidi MM, Patel M, Soni A, Redman W. Immune responses in liver and spleen against Plasmodium yoelii pre-erythrocytic stages in Swiss mice model. J Adv Res 2020; 24:29-41. [PMID: 32181014 PMCID: PMC7063113 DOI: 10.1016/j.jare.2020.02.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2019] [Revised: 02/08/2020] [Accepted: 02/25/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Though the immunity to malaria has been associated with cellular immune responses, the exact function of the phenotypic cell population is still unclear. This study investigated the host immune responses elicited during the pre-erythrocytic stage, post-Plasmodium yoelii sporozoite infection in Swiss mice model. For this purpose, we analyzed the dynamics of different subsets of immune cells population and cytokine levels in the hepatic mononuclear and splenic cells population during pre-erythrocytic liver-stage infection. We observed a significant reduction in the effectors immune cells population including CD8+ T cell, F4/80+ macrophage and in plasmacytoid dendritic cells (CD11c+ B220+). Interestingly, substantial down-regulation was also noted in pro-inflammatory cytokines (i.e. IFN-γ, TNF-α, IL-12, IL-2, IL-17 and iNOS), while, up-regulation of anti-inflammatory cytokines (i.e. IL-10, IL-4 and TGF-β) during asymptomatic pre-erythrocytic liver-stage infection. Collectively, this study demonstrated that during pre-erythrocytic development, Plasmodium yoelii sporozoite impaired the host activators of innate and adaptive immune responses by regulating the immune effector cells, gene expression and cytokines levels for the establishment of infection and subsequent development in the liver and spleen. The results in this study provided a better understanding of the events leading to malarial infection and will be helpful in supportive treatment and vaccine development strategy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arif Jamal Siddiqui
- Department of Biology, College of Sciences, University of Ha'il, Ha'il, Saudi Arabia.,Division of Parasitology, CSIR-Central Drug Research Institute, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - Jyoti Bhardwaj
- Indiana University, School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, United States
| | - Manish Goyal
- Division of Parasitology, CSIR-Central Drug Research Institute, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - Kirtika Prakash
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, College of Medicine, University of Vermont, VT, United States
| | - Mohd Adnan
- Department of Biology, College of Sciences, University of Ha'il, Ha'il, Saudi Arabia
| | - Mousa M Alreshidi
- Department of Biology, College of Sciences, University of Ha'il, Ha'il, Saudi Arabia
| | - Mitesh Patel
- Bapalal Vaidya Botanical Research Centre, Department of Biosciences, Veer Narmad South Gujarat University, Surat, Gujarat, India
| | - Awakash Soni
- Division of Parasitology, CSIR-Central Drug Research Institute, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - Whitni Redman
- Surgery Department, Division of Biomedical Research, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX, United States
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23
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Yenkoidiok-Douti L, Jewell CM. Integrating Biomaterials and Immunology to Improve Vaccines Against Infectious Diseases. ACS Biomater Sci Eng 2020; 6:759-778. [PMID: 33313391 PMCID: PMC7725244 DOI: 10.1021/acsbiomaterials.9b01255] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Despite the success of vaccines in preventing many infectious diseases, effective vaccines against pathogens with ongoing challenges - such as HIV, malaria, and tuberculosis - remain unavailable. The emergence of new pathogen variants, the continued prevalence of existing pathogens, and the resurgence of yet other infectious agents motivate the need for new, interdisciplinary approaches to direct immune responses. Many current and candidate vaccines, for example, are poorly immunogenic, provide only transient protection, or create risks of regaining pathogenicity in certain immune-compromised conditions. Recent advances in biomaterials research are creating new potential to overcome these challenges through improved formulation, delivery, and control of immune signaling. At the same time, many of these materials systems - such as polymers, lipids, and self-assembly technologies - may achieve this goal while maintaining favorable safety profiles. This review highlights ways in which biomaterials can advance existing vaccines to safer, more efficacious technologies, and support new vaccines for pathogens that do not yet have vaccines. Biomaterials that have not yet been applied to vaccines for infectious disease are also discussed, and their potential in this area is highlighted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lampouguin Yenkoidiok-Douti
- Fischell Department of Bioengineering, University of Maryland, College Park, 8278 Paint Branch Drive, College Park, MD, 20742, United States
- Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institute of Health, Rockville, MD, 20852, United States
| | - Christopher M. Jewell
- Fischell Department of Bioengineering, University of Maryland, College Park, 8278 Paint Branch Drive, College Park, MD, 20742, United States
- Department of Veterans Affairs, VA Maryland Health Care System, 10. N Green Street, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA
- Robert E. Fischell Institute for Biomedical Devices, 8278 Paint Branch Drive, College Park, MD 20742, United States
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Maryland Medical School, 685 West Baltimore Street, HSF-I Suite 380, Baltimore, MD, 21201, United States
- Marlene and Stewart Greenebaum Cancer Center, 22 S. Greene Street, Suite N9E17, Baltimore, MD 21201, United States
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24
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Moser KA, Drábek EF, Dwivedi A, Stucke EM, Crabtree J, Dara A, Shah Z, Adams M, Li T, Rodrigues PT, Koren S, Phillippy AM, Munro JB, Ouattara A, Sparklin BC, Dunning Hotopp JC, Lyke KE, Sadzewicz L, Tallon LJ, Spring MD, Jongsakul K, Lon C, Saunders DL, Ferreira MU, Nyunt MM, Laufer MK, Travassos MA, Sauerwein RW, Takala-Harrison S, Fraser CM, Sim BKL, Hoffman SL, Plowe CV, Silva JC. Strains used in whole organism Plasmodium falciparum vaccine trials differ in genome structure, sequence, and immunogenic potential. Genome Med 2020; 12:6. [PMID: 31915075 PMCID: PMC6950926 DOI: 10.1186/s13073-019-0708-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2019] [Accepted: 12/19/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Plasmodium falciparum (Pf) whole-organism sporozoite vaccines have been shown to provide significant protection against controlled human malaria infection (CHMI) in clinical trials. Initial CHMI studies showed significantly higher durable protection against homologous than heterologous strains, suggesting the presence of strain-specific vaccine-induced protection. However, interpretation of these results and understanding of their relevance to vaccine efficacy have been hampered by the lack of knowledge on genetic differences between vaccine and CHMI strains, and how these strains are related to parasites in malaria endemic regions. METHODS Whole genome sequencing using long-read (Pacific Biosciences) and short-read (Illumina) sequencing platforms was conducted to generate de novo genome assemblies for the vaccine strain, NF54, and for strains used in heterologous CHMI (7G8 from Brazil, NF166.C8 from Guinea, and NF135.C10 from Cambodia). The assemblies were used to characterize sequences in each strain relative to the reference 3D7 (a clone of NF54) genome. Strains were compared to each other and to a collection of clinical isolates (sequenced as part of this study or from public repositories) from South America, sub-Saharan Africa, and Southeast Asia. RESULTS While few variants were detected between 3D7 and NF54, we identified tens of thousands of variants between NF54 and the three heterologous strains. These variants include SNPs, indels, and small structural variants that fall in regulatory and immunologically important regions, including transcription factors (such as PfAP2-L and PfAP2-G) and pre-erythrocytic antigens that may be key for sporozoite vaccine-induced protection. Additionally, these variants directly contributed to diversity in immunologically important regions of the genomes as detected through in silico CD8+ T cell epitope predictions. Of all heterologous strains, NF135.C10 had the highest number of unique predicted epitope sequences when compared to NF54. Comparison to global clinical isolates revealed that these four strains are representative of their geographic origin despite long-term culture adaptation; of note, NF135.C10 is from an admixed population, and not part of recently formed subpopulations resistant to artemisinin-based therapies present in the Greater Mekong Sub-region. CONCLUSIONS These results will assist in the interpretation of vaccine efficacy of whole-organism vaccines against homologous and heterologous CHMI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kara A. Moser
- Institute for Genome Sciences, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201 USA
- Present address: Institute for Global Health and Infectious Diseases, University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, USA
| | - Elliott F. Drábek
- Institute for Genome Sciences, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201 USA
| | - Ankit Dwivedi
- Institute for Genome Sciences, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201 USA
| | - Emily M. Stucke
- Center for Vaccine Development and Global Health, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201 USA
| | - Jonathan Crabtree
- Institute for Genome Sciences, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201 USA
| | - Antoine Dara
- Center for Vaccine Development and Global Health, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201 USA
| | - Zalak Shah
- Center for Vaccine Development and Global Health, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201 USA
| | - Matthew Adams
- Center for Vaccine Development and Global Health, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201 USA
| | - Tao Li
- Sanaria, Inc., Rockville, MD 20850 USA
| | - Priscila T. Rodrigues
- Department of Parasitology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Sergey Koren
- Genome Informatics Section, Computational and Statistical Genomics Branch, National Human Genome Research Institute, Bethesda, MD 20892 USA
| | - Adam M. Phillippy
- Genome Informatics Section, Computational and Statistical Genomics Branch, National Human Genome Research Institute, Bethesda, MD 20892 USA
| | - James B. Munro
- Institute for Genome Sciences, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201 USA
| | - Amed Ouattara
- Center for Vaccine Development and Global Health, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201 USA
| | - Benjamin C. Sparklin
- Institute for Genome Sciences, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201 USA
| | - Julie C. Dunning Hotopp
- Institute for Genome Sciences, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201 USA
| | - Kirsten E. Lyke
- Center for Vaccine Development and Global Health, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201 USA
| | - Lisa Sadzewicz
- Institute for Genome Sciences, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201 USA
| | - Luke J. Tallon
- Institute for Genome Sciences, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201 USA
| | - Michele D. Spring
- Department of Bacterial and Parasitic Diseases, Armed Forces Research Institute of Medical Sciences, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Krisada Jongsakul
- Department of Bacterial and Parasitic Diseases, Armed Forces Research Institute of Medical Sciences, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Chanthap Lon
- Department of Bacterial and Parasitic Diseases, Armed Forces Research Institute of Medical Sciences, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - David L. Saunders
- Department of Bacterial and Parasitic Diseases, Armed Forces Research Institute of Medical Sciences, Bangkok, Thailand
- Present address: Warfighter Expeditionary Medicine and Treatment, US Army Medical Material Development Activity, Frederick, USA
| | - Marcelo U. Ferreira
- Department of Parasitology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Myaing M. Nyunt
- Center for Vaccine Development and Global Health, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201 USA
- Present address: Duke Global Health Institute, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708 USA
| | - Miriam K. Laufer
- Center for Vaccine Development and Global Health, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201 USA
| | - Mark A. Travassos
- Center for Vaccine Development and Global Health, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201 USA
| | - Robert W. Sauerwein
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Shannon Takala-Harrison
- Center for Vaccine Development and Global Health, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201 USA
| | - Claire M. Fraser
- Institute for Genome Sciences, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201 USA
| | | | | | - Christopher V. Plowe
- Center for Vaccine Development and Global Health, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201 USA
- Present address: Duke Global Health Institute, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708 USA
| | - Joana C. Silva
- Institute for Genome Sciences, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201 USA
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201 USA
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25
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Mukherjee D, Chora ÂF, Mota MM. Microbiota, a Third Player in the Host-Plasmodium Affair. Trends Parasitol 2019; 36:11-18. [PMID: 31787522 DOI: 10.1016/j.pt.2019.11.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2019] [Revised: 11/01/2019] [Accepted: 11/01/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Plasmodium, the causative agent of malaria, is responsible for more than 200 million new infections and 400 000 deaths yearly. While in recent years the influence of the microbiota in homeostasis and a wide variety of disorders has taken center stage, its contribution during malaria infections has only now started to emerge. The few published studies suggest two distinct but complementary directions. Plasmodium infections can cause significant alterations in host (at least gut) microbiota, and host gut microbiota can influence the clinical outcome of malaria infections. In this opinion article, we highlight the most fundamental unanswered questions in the field that will, hopefully, point future research directions towards unveiling key mechanistic insights of the Plasmodium-host-microbiota axis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Debanjan Mukherjee
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de Lisboa, 1649-028 Lisboa, Portugal.
| | - Ângelo Ferreira Chora
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de Lisboa, 1649-028 Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Maria M Mota
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de Lisboa, 1649-028 Lisboa, Portugal.
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26
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Pre-clinical evaluation of a P. berghei-based whole-sporozoite malaria vaccine candidate. NPJ Vaccines 2018; 3:54. [PMID: 30510775 PMCID: PMC6258718 DOI: 10.1038/s41541-018-0091-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2018] [Accepted: 10/17/2018] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Whole-sporozoite vaccination/immunization induces high levels of protective immunity in both rodent models of malaria and in humans. Recently, we generated a transgenic line of the rodent malaria parasite P. berghei (Pb) that expresses the P. falciparum (Pf) circumsporozoite protein (PfCS), and showed that this parasite line (PbVac) was capable of (1) infecting and developing in human hepatocytes but not in human erythrocytes, and (2) inducing neutralizing antibodies against the human Pf parasite. Here, we analyzed PbVac in detail and developed tools necessary for its use in clinical studies. A microbiological contaminant-free Master Cell Bank of PbVac parasites was generated through a process of cyclic propagation and clonal expansion in mice and mosquitoes and was genetically characterized. A highly sensitive qRT-PCR-based method was established that enables PbVac parasite detection and quantification at low parasite densities in vivo. This method was employed in a biodistribution study in a rabbit model, revealing that the parasite is only present at the site of administration and in the liver up to 48 h post infection and is no longer detectable at any site 10 days after administration. An extensive toxicology investigation carried out in rabbits further showed the absence of PbVac-related toxicity. In vivo drug sensitivity assays employing rodent models of infection showed that both the liver and the blood stage forms of PbVac were completely eliminated by Malarone® treatment. Collectively, our pre-clinical safety assessment demonstrates that PbVac possesses all characteristics necessary to advance into clinical evaluation. PbVac is a transgenic malaria parasite expressing circumsporozoite antigen from the human parasite Plasmodium falciparum. PbVac elicits neutralizing P. falciparum antibodies and can infect human hepatocytes but not erythrocytes, suggesting that humans would be non-permissive. Miguel Prudêncio and colleagues at the Institute of Molecular Medicine in Lisbon perform a detailed in vivo analysis and toxicology of PbVac. Extensive biodistribution analysis using a highly sensitive qPCR in non-permissive rabbit hosts shows PbVac are present at the initial bite site early on with later appearance in the liver, but by day 10 is undetectable. Importantly no PbVac could be detected in the blood at any time-point. PbVac was well tolerated with no apparent pathological signatures. In permissive mouse hosts PbVac could be effectively eliminated from both the blood and liver and could thereby act as a potential clinical ‘safety net’ in the event of an erythrocytic stage or persistence in the liver.
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